BBC sports award 'ignoring women'

MPs have accused the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award of "ignoring women's achievements" in 2011 with its selection of an all-male shortlist.

PUBLISHED: 16:13, Wed, Nov 30, 2011

Rebecca Adlington and other female athletes have not made it onto the shortlist for the BBC's Sports [PA]

MPs have accused the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award of "ignoring women's achievements" in 2011 with its selection of an all-male shortlist.

A group of women MPs has written to BBC director general Mark Thompson complaining that the move has undermined efforts to encourage female participation in sport and requesting a meeting to discuss the "bias".

London Olympics head Lord Coe expressed his surprise at the shortlist and a number of sportswomen criticised the exclusion of their colleagues.

World champion women this year have included Rebecca Adlington and Keri-Anne Payne in swimming, triathlete Chrissie Wellington and Sarah Stevenson in taekwondo.

In a letter to Mr Thompson, Labour's Stella Creasy, Alison McGovern and Joan Walley and Liberal Democrat Jo Swinson said: "We are very concerned that, this year, not one single woman has been shortlisted for the public vote.

"This outcome is extremely unhelpful to the promotion of women's sport in the UK. It will result in the annual TV programme - usually a great occasion for British sport - ignoring women's achievements in 2011.

"This bias has led to a number of outstanding sporting achievements by women being entirely disregarded.